| Hiking Trail Conditions Report |
 | Peaks |
Mt. Adams, NH |
|
 | Trails: |
Valley Way, Gulfside Trail, Air Line Trail |
|
 | Date of Hike: |
Wednesday, February 12, 2025 |
|
 | Parking/Access Road Notes: |
Parked at the large, paved lot for Appalachia Trails off Route 2. This lot is plowed after storms. Kiosk, no privy. Free. AMC shuttle stop in summer months. |
|
 | Surface Conditions: |
Snow - Unpacked Powder, Snow/Ice - Frozen Granular |
|
 | Recommended Equipment: |
Snowshoes |
|
 | Water Crossing Notes: |
No water crossings on these trails |
|
 | Trail Maintenance Notes: |
|
|
 | Dog-Related Notes: |
Good trails for dogs if they can handle snow. |
|
 | Bugs: |
|
|
 | Lost and Found: |
|
|
|
|
|
 | Comments: |
Route:
Valley Way > Gulfside > Airline to Adams summit then > Airline to end.
Valley Way: well blazed in blue. Nice, sheltered route to Madison Hut. It was broken out by the 5 hikers in front of us. Thank you! Snowshoes the only appropriate footwear as the snow remains barely compacted. Lovely to have hiked this trail with new trail friend, Tad. Your company was awesome and I so look forward to meeting you again!
Gulfside: the 5 hikers had gone onto Madison leaving me to find my own way. Gulfside was not broken out, but was not a chore to do so. Only cairns mark the way right now. Some smaller drifts that were no issue in my snowshoes. There is ice below a few inches of snow as one climbs up to the junction with Airline. I had no problems in snowshoes. Conditions were surprisingly good.
Airline: I have to break this down-
1. After leaving Gulfside the trail is quite bony. But then drifts appear requiring snowshoes. The path to Adams’ summit is marked with visible cairns. There is not a lot of snow up here. But there is too much snow for boots or crampons/microspikes. So, I elected to stay in snowshoes and made a path along the drifts until just below the summit cone. Once ascending the summit cone, I travelled the path created by Mother Nature. Meaning, I used drifts and rime snow to create a path to the summit. It is NOT spikeable or bare bootable. You will punch through gad knows how deep. Those behind me followed in my steps. Though not far from the trail proper, I did diverge several times taking advantage of some natural switchbacks.
2. While descending, after leaving the junction with Gulfside and heading over Durand Ridge, bare boots were best. So little snow. Spikes and snowshoes will get torn up. I know, I tried. But it is very slow going as one must watch footing. Trust nothing! What looks like a rock under a fine layer of snow may be sheer ice. Then what looks like sheer ice under a fine layer of snow is actually a rock… gad. It took forever. Anyway, once back to tree line the trail was unbroken. Thus snowshoes for the remainder of the trip to the parking area. It is fine, powdery snow. At least one person followed me down in snowshoes so compaction may start. But, it’s supposed to snow again so there’s that.
Much thanks to ALL persons today who were wearing their snowshoes! Really, really great job! Lovely to have also met a CDT thru hiker who was kicking butt in the Presidentials on this surprise “Presi Day.” |
|
 | Name: |
Remington34 |
|
 | E-Mail: |
|
|
| Date Submitted: |
2025-02-12 |
|
 | Link: |
 https:// |
|
|
Disclaimer: Reports are not verified - conditions may vary. Use at own risk. Always be prepared when hiking. Observe all signs. Trail conditions reports are not substitutes for weather reports or common sense. |
|
